Daily Readings - Wed Jun 13 2018
1 Kings
20So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.21Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing.22Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only one of the LORD's prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.23Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it.24Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire-he is God." Then all the people said, "What you say is good."25Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire."26So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.27At noon Elijah began to taunt them. "Shout louder!" he said. "Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened."28So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed.29Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.30Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come here to me." They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which was in ruins.31Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Your name shall be Israel."32With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed.33He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, "Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood."34"Do it again," he said, and they did it again. "Do it a third time," he ordered, and they did it the third time.35The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.36At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.37Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again."38Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.39When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!"
Matthew
17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of faith and commitment to God's will. The first reading from 1 Kings recounts the dramatic showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Elijah, standing alone as a prophet of the Lord, challenges the people to decide whom they will follow. Through a miraculous display of fire, God demonstrates His power, and the people acknowledge His sovereignty. This story underscores the importance of unwavering trust in God, even in the face of overwhelming odds.
The Gospel reading from Matthew offers a complementary message. Jesus emphasizes that He has come not to abolish the law but to fulfill it. He stresses that every detail of the law matters and that teaching others to disregard even the smallest part of it diminishes one's standing in the kingdom of heaven. This teaching challenges us to approach God's commandments with reverence and integrity, recognizing their enduring value in guiding our lives.
Both readings call us to a deep commitment to God's truth. Elijah's courage to stand alone and trust in God's power, coupled with Jesus' emphasis on the enduring nature of God's law, remind us that our faith must be lived out in fidelity and trust. In our daily lives, this means remaining steadfast in our beliefs, even when faced with challenges, and ensuring that our actions align with the teachings of Christ. Let us strive to embody this commitment, trusting in God's providence and upholding His truth in all we do.